This invention relates to a printing system and, more particularly, to a printing system in which it is possible to prevent counterfeiting and unauthorized copying.
Techniques have been developed for the purpose of preventing the counterfeiting of banknotes, securities and the like by a stand-alone apparatus such as a color copier which performs operations from reading in of an image document to outputting of the reproduced image.
However, it is now becoming possible to execute highly sophisticated image duplication processing such as the counterfeiting of banknotes without using a stand-alone image duplicating apparatus such as a color copier. The reason for this is the development in recent years of computer systems and image-data input/output peripherals such as scanner/printers and the development of image processing software for editing and manipulating the input/output image data.
Furthermore, it has recently become possible to send and receive image data easily via various networks typified by the Internet and LANs such as the Ethernet. As a result, it has also become possible to send image data created and edited or manipulated in a certain apparatus to a remote color printer via a network and print out an image from this printer.
In addition, by simply transferring data via a network, it is possible with the development of computer networks not only to counterfeit banknotes and securities but also to reproduce content that includes images such as photographs and video character animations. This means that it is becoming more difficult to eliminate acts that infringe upon copyrights, trademarks and the right of likeness.
Against this background there have been proposed a variety of techniques to prevent not only the counterfeiting of banknotes and securities but also the unlawful copying of specific images. Typical examples of such techniques have been disclosed in the specifications of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KOKAI) Nos. 6-326854, 7-177361, 7-47717 and 10-145584.
However, the examples of the prior art mentioned above involve a number of problems.
In the case of the art disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-326854, for example, means for inputting identification information relating to external equipment is required. This makes it impossible to deal with external equipment not associated with an input of such information. In the case of the art disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-177361, image data for printing purposes is received if there is agreement with encrypted information. This makes it difficult to support systems other than systems which comprise predetermined components.
Thus, with the examples of the prior art, it is difficult to deal with a system environment in which a number of unspecified devices can be utilized by a number of unspecified individuals. For example, in a case where an individual who has created or manipulated image data outputs the image using a shared printer in a network system in which a plurality of devices are interconnected via a network, it is very difficult to identify an individual who copied or reproduced an image without authorization. Further, in a situation where another person""s printer is connected to one""s own personal computer, even without the intermediary of a network, and an image is printed out using the image data, it is similarly very difficult to identify an individual who has committed an unauthorized act.
In the case of the technique disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-47717, a printer proper is provided with a function for discriminating items whose counterfeiting is to be prevented. This entails a printer of high cost and runs counter to the trend to produce printers of lower cost. Furthermore, in the case of the technique disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 10-145584, a host computer adds on attribute data concerning an external device and outputs the attribute data to a printer. Whether or not the data added on will be reproduced by the printer, therefore, depends greatly upon the reproduction capability of the printer. Accordingly, depending upon the image reproduction capability of the printer, there are instances where absolutely no effect is obtained.
Thus, other problems encountered with the prior art include equipment cost and difficulty in preventing unauthorized copying and reproduction in terms of equipment capability.
According, it is an object of the present invention to provide a printing system in which unauthorized copying and reproduction are prevented by making it easy to identify the source which created or manipulated image data to be reproduced and output, a printing apparatus used in this system, an apparatus identifying method for identifying an apparatus that is the source of image data creation or manipulation, and a computer-executable program for implementing this method.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing a printing system having a generating apparatus for generating image data and a forming apparatus for forming an image based upon the image data, the system comprising: input means for inputting the image data outputted from the generating apparatus; acquisition means for acquiring attribute information relating to the generating apparatus and the forming apparatus; identification-information generating means for generating identification information, which identifies the generating apparatus and the forming apparatus, based upon the attribute information; adding means for adding the image data to the identification information; and output means for outputting the image data, to which the identification information has been added by the adding means, to the forming apparatus.
The generating apparatus preferably includes at least one of an image input unit such as a scanner for reading an image original, an external information processing unit connected by a network such as a LAN or public communication line, a host computer for generating the image data by executing software, and a large-capacity information storage device for storing the image data. To accomplish this, the system is preferably provided with communication means for communicating with the network.
The forming apparatus, on the other hand, is a printer having a printhead which performs printing in accordance with an ink-jet method. The printhead preferably has an electrothermal transducer for generating thermal energy applied to ink in order to discharge the ink by utilizing thermal energy. Further, in order to perform color printing, the printhead preferably includes a first head for discharging black ink, a second head for discharging cyan ink, a third head for discharging magenta ink and a fourth head for discharging yellow ink.
The printhead may be further provided with a fifth head for discharging processed liquid for enhancing water repellency of an image that has been printed on a printing medium.
It is preferred that the output means be adapted so as to output the image data, to which the identification information has been added by the adding means, to the forming apparatus when printing is performed by the fourth head.
The adding means may add a pattern, which has been obtained by encrypting the identification information, to the image data on the basis of the identification information.
Further, on the basis of the image data to which the identification information output by the output means has been added, the generating apparatus may print a pattern that represents this identification information at a predetermined position on the printing medium.
Further, the acquisition means preferably includes storage means for temporarily storing attribute information such as manufacturer""s serial numbers of the generating apparatus and forming apparatus, registration numbers of software used in the printing system and identification numbers of system users.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing a printing apparatus for printing an image on a printing medium based upon image data that is inputted from a generating apparatus which generates the image data, the apparatus comprising: acquisition means for acquiring attribute information relating to the generating apparatus and the printing apparatus; identification-information generating means for generating identification information, which identifies the generating apparatus and the printing apparatus, based upon the attribute information; adding means for adding the image data to the identification information; and printing means for printing an image on the printing medium based upon the image data to which the identification information has been added by the adding means.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing an apparatus identifying method for identifying a generating apparatus which generates image data and a forming apparatus which forms an image based upon the image data, the method comprising: an input step of inputting the image, data outputted from the generating apparatus; an acquisition step of acquiring attribute information relating to the generating apparatus and the forming apparatus; an identification-information generating step of generating identification information, which identifies the generating apparatus and the forming apparatus, based upon the attribute information; an adding step of adding the image data to the identification information; an output step of outputting the image data, to which the identification information has been added by the adding step, to the forming apparatus; and a printing step of printing an image on a printing medium based upon the image data outputted from the output step.
According to still another aspect of the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing a computer program product, stored in a computer-readable storage medium, to be executed in a computer for identifying a generating apparatus which generates an image and a forming apparatus which forms an image based upon the image data, the product comprising: code for executing processing for inputting the image data outputted from the generating apparatus; code for executing processing for acquiring attribute information relating to the generating apparatus and the forming apparatus; code for executing processing for generating identification information, which identifies the generating apparatus and the forming apparatus, based upon the attribute information; code for executing processing for adding the image data to the identification information; code for executing processing for outputting the image data, to which the identification information has been added by the adding processing, to the forming apparatus; and code for executing processing for causing the forming apparatus to print an image on a printing medium based upon the image data to which the identification information has been added.
In accordance with the present invention as described above, image data is entered from a generating apparatus that generates the image data, attribute information concerning the generating apparatus and a forming apparatus that forms an image is acquired, identification information which specifies the generating apparatus and the forming apparatus is generated based upon the attribute information, this identification information is added to the image data, and the image data to which the identification information has been added is output to the forming apparatus.
The invention is particularly advantageous since a generating apparatus or forming apparatus that was used in counterfeiting can be readily identified from the image that has been formed.
In particular, information identifying various items of equipment used in counterfeiting, such as a generating apparatus and forming apparatus, is acquired as attribute information in the image forming process and identification information identifying these items of equipment is generated based upon this attribute information. As a result, regardless of the equipment being used in the system, information identifying this equipment is obtained. This is advantageous in that it is possible to take measures to prevent counterfeiting even in a system to which a large number of unspecified items of equipment and devices are connected.
Furthermore, the identification information is added on at such time that the image data to be printed is output to the forming apparatus, such as a printer. This makes it possible to add on information according to the individual image reproducing capabilities of forming apparatus. This makes possible application to forming apparatus of any type.